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The Horse's Advocate PodcastConfidence Versus Arrogance In Horses - The Horse's Advocate Podcast #147 Uncertain people do uncertain things. This uncertainty affects everything, including people and horses, and not necessarily in good ways. Most people have addressed the quest to conquer their inner self, but few become successful. Our horses know this. This podcast looks at the essence of all horsemanship, or, in other words, leadership, because horsemanship IS leadership. It comes from within us, but most people react to things in our lives. To improve your poor relationship with your horse (or any human), you must look inward and improve your view of life as a whole. Brain...2025-01-2925 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastAn Interview With Horse Trainer Geoff Teall - #129 The Horse's Advocate PodcastGeoff Teall, a seasoned horse trainer with an impressive 60 years of experience, has been a client of mine for over half of that time. His expertise is widely recognized in the show jumping community, and if you're not familiar with him, you should be. This discussion is not about the sport of jumping horses but about horsemanship, training, philosophy, and the crucial aspect of feeding horses (hint - he soaks the pony hay for 12 hours). One thing I know about Geoff is that he genuinely advocates for the horse above all else. There are several...2024-06-121h 01The Horse's Advocate PodcastShould Non-veterinarians Be Allowed To Float Horse Teeth? - #126 The Horse's Advocate Podcast There is a turf war between veterinarians and non-veterinarians, both wanting to provide horses with preventive dental care. It started in the late 1990s and has gained protection behind laws meant to protect horse owners. But is there proof that any approach to floating is better than another? Or is it just positioning based on territorialism? I used the following script to make this podcast, but I also added to it freely to emphasize several points. This podcast is more formal than usual because I am reading a script I wrote in response to a graduate of...2024-05-1542 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastWork In The Moment With Horses - #117 The Horse's Advocate PodcastPublished March 13, 2024 The First Law in my book, The Ten Irrefutable Laws Of Horsemanship, states, "A Horse Can Kill You." They are quicker and more muscular than humans, with clubs at the end of each limb. My original mentor, John Steiner, DVM, was killed by a horse while he was working on a stallion after his retirement. This week, two horses tried to add me to the list of fatalities caused by horses. But they didn't. This podcast is about why they didn't, how I use the knowledge of the brain, and how b...2024-03-1341 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastVisit With Dr James Belden - Equine Veterinarian Since 1964 - #106 The Horse's Advocate PodcastJames Belden, DVM, is a quiet horse vet who became a friend when I helped him find the Hertz car rental facility at Newark airport on a cold January day in 2006. From that serendipitous meeting, James became a mentor and kindred spirit. He is my colleague with more horse experience than I can imagine with all types of horses and veterinary cases. James worked with horses on the farm as a boy and moved quickly through school, graduating from Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1964. For over 31 years, he helped Thoroughbreds compete at the New York ra...2023-11-291h 21The Horse's Advocate PodcastFlorida Association of Equine Practitioners 2023 Meeting Part 4 of 4 - #104 The Horse's Advocate Podcast Here are the lectures covered on this day. 1) A Review Of A Novel Treatment For Equine Osteoarthritis: Intra-articular 2.5% Polyacrylamide Hydrogel - Megan Green, DVM - A product manufacturer presented this talk. She described using a registered medical device injected into the joints of horses (and humans) that helps cushion the concussion and provides a scaffolding for cartilage repair. 2) Diagnosis Of PPID In Practice - Dianne McFarlane, DVM - "This is a dopaminergic neurodegenerative disease." You must have clinical signs despite the blood work. It is a catabolic disease, so the horse must be losing weight...2023-11-151h 02The Horse's Advocate PodcastFlorida Association of Equine Practitioners 2023 Meeting Part 3 of 4 - #103 The Horse's Advocate Podcast Here are the lectures covered this day. 1) Relevance Impact of Common and Lesser Characterized Respiratory Viruses Associated With Upper Airway Disease. Nicola Pusterla, DVM. Identifying common viruses and separating them from the common bacterial infections of the upper airway is the main focus of this talk. Discussion includes Equine Herpes Virus 1&4, 2&5, Equine Influenza Virus, Equine Rhinitis Virus, and the bacteria Strep equi. Prevention is touched on. 2) Coronavirus In Horses: Any Reason To Panic? Nicola Pusterla, DVM. Whether horses can get or give Sars-CoV-2 from or to humans is discussed. The Equine Coronavirus, unlike Covid-19, affects...2023-11-0851 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastFlorida Association of Equine Practitioners 2023 Meeting Part 2 of 4 - #102 The Horse's Advocate Podcast Here are the lectures covered on this day. 1) Why Understanding Injury Pathogenesis Is Important, Chris Kawcak, DVM. He first discusses why understanding injury is essential, then moves to define lameness versus asymmetry. The problem is predicting the outcome for individual horses. 2) Using What We Know To Influence Injury Prevention, Chris Kawcak, DVM. The task of identifying at-risk horses before they are injured. This discussion is divided into 1) external data using wearable devices, 2) internal data, 3) perceptual well-being, and 4) readiness. He touches on machine learning (AI), reiterating the importance of easily predicting before they occur. 3...2023-11-0151 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastFlorida Association of Equine Practitioners 2023 Meeting Part 1 of 4 - #101 The Horse's Advocate Podcast Here are the lectures covered on this half day. 1) Healing With Horse Power, Liberty Getman, DVM - discussing regenerative medicine for osteoarthritis using IRAP (interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein), PRP (platelet rich plasma), Restigen®, Pro-Stride® and PPP (platelet poor plasma). 2) Emergency Service: Thinking Outside The Box, Amy Grice, DVM - The crisis of the reduction of equine veterinary practitioners is addressed, specifically in the ability to provide emergency care for clients. 24/7 availability ranks as the #1 reason a client chooses a veterinarian and the #2 reason practitioners quit. 3) The Science Of Joint Supplements: What Does The Evi...2023-10-251h 01The Horse's Advocate PodcastSince The Days Of The Romans_Chapters 16, 17, and 18 - #091 The Horse's Advocate Podcast This podcast is chapters sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen of my autobiography, Since The Days Of The Romans - My Journey Of Discovering A Life With Horses. If you are new to this podcast, please go to podcast # 078 to start from the beginning of this book. This podcast is the final episode of the reading of this book. I hope you enjoy hearing my story and find inspiration if you need help finding your journey. May 2023 represents my 50th year working with horses. So how did I get here? What brought me from being a wandering young man to...2023-08-1648 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastCrisis With Equine Veterinarians - #090 The Horse's Advocate PodcastIt is a simple math problem, as easy as a homeowner’s budget. If more equine vets leave practices than there are coming into practices, there will be fewer to care for our horses. Just like the expression, there is more month than money. The reasons fall into several groups. The first and most important reason is money. Small animal vets make about double what a horse vet makes. The second reason is time. This is divided into the time behind the wheel traveling to farms in rural areas and the time required for a few vets to...2023-08-091h 00The Horse's Advocate PodcastSince The Days Of The Romans_Chapters 13, 14, and 15 - #089 The Horse's Advocate Podcast This podcast is chapters thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen of my autobiography, Since The Days Of The Romans - My Journey Of Discovering A Life With Horses. If you are new to this podcast, please go to podcast # 078 to start from the beginning of this book. Over the next few months, I'll record and put out all 18 chapters of my autobiography. I hope you enjoy hearing my story and find inspiration if you need help finding your journey. May 2023 represents my 50th year working with horses. So how did I get here? What brought me from being a wa...2023-08-0255 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastSince The Days Of The Romans_Chapters 11 and 12 - #088 The Horse's Advocate Podcast This podcast is chapters eleven and twelve of my autobiography, Since The Days Of The Romans - My Journey Of Discovering A Life With Horses. Over the next few months, I'll record and put out all 18 chapters of my autobiography. I hope you enjoy hearing my story and find inspiration if you need help finding your journey. May 2023 represents my 50th year working with horses. So how did I get here? What brought me from being a wandering young man to becoming an equine veterinarian? In 2014, I wrote my autobiography to help others trying to...2023-07-2656 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastGet Your Horse's House In Order - A Magazine Review - #087 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThis podcast reviews a vet school’s economic impact statement and a special Equus magazine about the health of our horses. When I read these, my first reaction was a concern for my colleagues and, worse, all horse owners. To appease the workforce demand for quality time and a work-life balance, veterinary schools are increasing the number of veterinarians graduating yearly. An assumption is that this would lead to more equine veterinarians and, thus, more choices. An equal assumption is that they will all go into small animal practice. With either belief, the cost of veterinary care fo...2023-07-191h 36The Horse's Advocate PodcastSince The Days Of The Romans_Chapters 8, 9, and 10 - #086 The Horse's Advocate Podcast This podcast is chapters eight, nine, and ten of my autobiography, Since The Days Of The Romans - My Journey Of Discovering A Life With Horses. Over the next few months, I'll record and put out all 18 chapters of my autobiography. I hope you enjoy hearing my story and find inspiration if you need help finding your journey. May 2023 represents my 50th year working with horses. So how did I get here? What brought me from being a wandering young man to becoming an equine veterinarian? In 2014, I wrote my autobiography to help others trying to...2023-07-1235 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastIntegrative Medicine With Dr Marty Goldstein - #085 The Horse's Advocate PodcastDr. Martin Goldstein is known as "Dr. Marty" and "The Dog Doc." He earned his veterinary degree from Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine in 1973, as I did in 1984. We walked the same halls and learned from the same professors. Yet Dr. Marty saw something wrong early in his career. The animals he treated with academic knowledge should have improved, but instead, they became sicker and died. Through a chance of fate, Dr. Marty discovered a book that started his journey to discover that we needed to stop treating diseases, as taught in our education, but treat the a...2023-07-052h 00The Horse's Advocate PodcastSince The Days Of The Romans_Chapter 6 and 7 - #084 The Horse's Advocate Podcast This podcast is chapters six and seven of my autobiography, Since The Days Of The Romans - My Journey Of Discovering A Life With Horses. Over the next few months, I'll record and put out all 18 chapters of my autobiography. I hope you enjoy hearing my story and find inspiration if you need help finding your journey. May 2023 represents my 50th year working with horses. So how did I get here? What brought me from being a wandering young man to becoming an equine veterinarian? In 2014, I wrote my autobiography to help others trying to f...2023-06-2836 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastHorse Care Old And New - #083 The Horse's Advocate Podcast How long ago is relative to how old we are. To a baby, yesterday seems so long ago. A 24-year-old may think they have "forever" before them, hoping the past stays in the past. As a 70-year-old, I believe that my "runway" is short, and I often reflect on the past, as I did last week attending my father-in-law's funeral. Relative to me, one or two hundred years ago doesn't seem that long ago. My 50 years of working with horses give me many reference points; how they were cared for has dramatically changed. The opportunity to reflect...2023-06-2138 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastSince The Days Of The Romans - Chapters 4 and 5 - #082 The Horse's Advocate Podcast This podcast is chapters four and five of my autobiography, Since The Days Of The Romans - My Journey Of Discovering A Life With Horses. Over the next few months, I'll record and put out all 18 chapters of my autobiography. I hope you enjoy hearing my story and find inspiration if you need help finding your journey. May 2023 represents my 50th year working with horses. So how did I get here? What brought me from being a wandering young man to becoming an equine veterinarian? In 2014, I wrote my autobiography to help others trying to f...2023-06-1451 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastThe Horse Race Between Evolution And Technology - #081 The Horse's Advocate Podcast Evolution defines the development of a species, such as the horse, throughout all time on Earth. However, the starting point may be adjusted to any moment we choose, for example, identifying a particular breed, when man domesticated horses, or when the first resemblance of a horse appeared. The time between the selected point and today is thousands to millions of years ago. More importantly, the rate of change is relatively constant. Technology is the development or engineering of devices using science to build upon what is known to solve a need. However, while the length of time...2023-06-0748 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastSince The Days Of The Romans - Chapters 2 and 3 - #080 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThis podcast is chapters two and three of my autobiography, Since The Days Of The Romans - My Journey Of Discovering A Life With Horses. Over the next few months, I'll record and put out all 18 chapters of my autobiography. I hope you enjoy hearing my story and find inspiration if you need help finding your journey. May 2023 represents my 50th year working with horses. So how did I get here? What brought me from being a wandering young man to becoming an equine veterinarian? In 2014, I wrote my autobiography to help others trying to f...2023-05-311h 08The Horse's Advocate PodcastEquine Dentistry For 40 Years - #079 The Horse's Advocate PodcastFour decades of floating horses have filled me with experiences hard to gain from a textbook. In fact, in 1983, there was only one book on equine dentistry written by an equine dentist from New Jersey; however, other mentions in textbooks on horse care date back 100 years. The questions often asked by horse owners about the care of the teeth in horses are the basis of this podcast. Using the guide of the questions in my blog, "Horse Dentistry - Frequently Asked Questions," I cover most topics in my daily travels to horse farms. Does my horse...2023-05-241h 02The Horse's Advocate PodcastSince The Days Of The Romans - Forward, Introduction, and Chapter One - The Horse’s Advocate Podcast # 078May 2023 represents my 50th year working with horses. So how did I get here? What brought me from being a wandering young man to becoming an equine veterinarian? In 2014, I wrote my autobiography to help others trying to find their way but having obstacles block their path. This recording is my story of finding my passion while overcoming my obstacles: a poor reader and student, a three-time college dropout, and good at everything but finding no spark to become proficient. As homage to my half-century, I read my book, "Since The Days Of The Romans...2023-05-171h 00The Horse's Advocate PodcastThe Messages Veterinarians Receive In Their Inbox - #077 The Horse’s Advocate PodcastI received the following emails targeting equine veterinarians with various announcements last week. You must be "cognitively diligent" to read the subtle messages and misdirection, confusion, and sometimes utter nonsense within their messages. Everyone has an agenda. As veterinarians or horse owners, we must read between the lines, question what is said, and discover if the information is good, relevant, or, most importantly, what parts they are leaving out. Lying by omission is still covering the truth. Marketing is so good at this that the government forced specific industries to rapidly read all the adverse side effects...2023-05-0950 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastFeeding Sale Yearlings And All Horses - #076 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThis podcast answers a question about the feeding of young, growing horses and their mothers sent to me by someone in Thoroughbred breeding and sales. Here is the question: "I assume that your no-grain diet is only for mature non-pregnant, and non-lactating mares. I'm interested in trying to find a way to use less grain, but it seems impossible to raise Thoroughbreds to sell at auction. They would be midgets compared to all of the other horses. Do you have any feeding solutions which work for that situation? Also, pregnant and lactating Thoroughbred mares can't possibly get...2023-05-0449 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastThe Role Of Being An Advocate For Horses - #075 The Horse's Advocate PodcastIn my last episode (#074), I discussed "Cognitive Laziness," as defined by an article in The Wall Street Journal. I suggested that artificial intelligence in the form of marketing has been shaping our minds to do things around our horses that may not be in their best interest. However, the lines blur between beliefs in what is right and what is wrong. Further, we cannot live in a world of uncertainty, not knowing what is really "the truth." So, to protect ourselves from worry, doubt, and anxiety, humans create rules to bring comfort in an uncertain world. This...2023-04-2359 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastGet Your Brain Right, Get Your Horse Right ("Cognitive Laziness") - #074 The Horse's Advocate PodcastI am returning to podcasting after a 6-month break. I will tell you about why in the NEXT podcast. Instead, in this podcast, I want to read a blog I wrote back in March 2020. There are two drivers for my action here. The first is the recent uptick in the discussion about artificial intelligence. The second is the observation that most horse owners I see or hear from are still listening to this artificial intelligence. My example is old, both in when it happened and my use of it. About 500 years ago, we believed the...2023-04-1918 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastAAEP 2022 - Insulin Dysregulation - #073 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThe American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) meets annually to offer continuing education for horse vets worldwide. They meet in a major American city every autumn (this year is in San Antonio, TX); however, they also offer a virtual meeting for practitioners who cannot attend. That appeals to me as November and December are my busiest months as my clients get ready for their show season. Why do I attend this meeting? The answer is to collect my credits for maintaining my veterinary licenses. It is also my way of conveying to horse owners listening to this...2022-11-211h 08The Horse's Advocate PodcastCognitive Dissonance In Horse Owners - #072 the Horse's Advocate PodcastAs defined by Wikipedia, 2022 - "In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance is the perception of contradictory information, and the mental toll of it. (…) Cognitive dissonance is typically experienced as psychological stress(…). According to this theory, when two actions or ideas are not psychologically consistent with each other, people do all in their power to change them until they become consistent. The discomfort is triggered by the person's belief clashing with new information perceived, wherein the individual tries to find a way to resolve the contradiction to reduce their discomfort." I discuss how we get bombarded with contra...2022-11-0939 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastReview Of Feeding Horses - #071 the Horse's Advocate PodcastOver the past month, I have heard many great stories about how well the no-grain plus soybean meal diet works from my dentistry clients. However, they also tell me how difficult it can be to discuss it with others. This episode explains why I have been absent for a few weeks. Sorry about that! Then I mistakenly said this would be a short and brief review of the basics of feeding horses. But like a runaway horse, I go from one essential point to another, attempting to tie together ALL the points. So, stay calm...2022-10-2656 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastAging The Horse By The Teeth - #070 The Horse’s Advocate PodcastIn 1979, I memorized the standard chart for aging the horse using the ware patterns of the teeth over time. The incisors were used rather than the cheek teeth because they were readily available by lifting the lips. The recorded features included the cups, dental star, and Galvayne's Groove. Horse owners and buyers used the chart for maybe a century, but in the 1980s, many equine dentists started to describe the incisors' bite. They noticed uneven wear patterns representing them as a smile, a frown, a diagonal, or a V-shape. In 1983, I floated my first horse, and since...2022-09-2122 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastWater For Horses - #069 The Horse’s Advocate PodcastWater is one of the necessary ingredients to maintain life. Every animal and plant on Earth knows this. Still, because of the familiarity, we often don't think much about remaining hydrated. In this episode, I read an article from the August 2022 issue of "The Horse" that Purina sponsored. During the reading, I added my thoughts to broaden your understanding to ensure your horses remain hydrated throughout the year. I also add side notes about feeding salt, electrolytes, and protein that will be a review for some and new for other listeners. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com...2022-09-1738 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastA Perspective On Veterinary Medicine With Dennis French DVM - #068 The Horse's Advocate PodcastMy guest today is Dr. Denny French, a second-generation large animal veterinarian from the midwest United States. He was a professor at Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Veterinary Medicine for 30 years. In 2009, he migrated back to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Veterinary Medicine as a professor and head of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine. He presently is a co-owner of a private large animal practice. I met Denny a few years back, sitting at a kitchen table at a mutual friend's home outside Shreveport, LA. I asked him how many students were graduating...2022-09-071h 13The Horse's Advocate PodcastEquine Psychotherapy - #067 The Horse’s Advocate PodcastI talked with Bonny Barry of Equine Reflections (EquineReflections.org), a non-profit horse therapy center in Folsom, Louisiana. They offer these programs: Horses For Healing Professional Development Retreats Whoa to Bullying, Giddy Up To Kindness Horsemanship Empowerment Saddle Up for Success Bonny's honesty about her journey into this field will move you whether or not you are a victim of abuse. Her stories of patients, unable to speak, connecting with the horses and then expressing thoughts locked up in their silent consciousness will shake you. Knowing that the horses used in her program are also from abuse ma...2022-08-311h 07The Horse's Advocate PodcastMission Statement Of The Horse's Advocate - #066 The Horse’s Advocate PodcastHelping Horses Thrive In A Human World is a tagline of two parts: Thrive and Human. Horses thriving is open to interpretation, but as we look at our horses, we all see the difference between thriving and existing. We see this in ourselves. We all want to thrive, but life is usually about surviving. The human world adds restrictions to the horse, often proclaiming to help horses thrive. But do they? Are they burdening their lives, driving them away from thriving, and eventually causing their premature demise? I discuss these ideas in this podcast. 2022-08-2437 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastIs What We’re Being Taught Correct? - #065 The Horse’s Advocate PodcastWe are all students; we usually believe the teachers that teach us. Math was easy. 2+2=4, and there is no getting around that. The concept of zero, introduced about 300 AD, caused the extinction of the abacus and Roman Numerals but allowed for the advancement of science and trade. Before 500 years ago, teachers taught that the sun circled the Earth. Soon that changed unless you still believe the Earth is flat. Veterinary medicine, human medicine, and every other profession not using physics (engineering) come up with theories they test. But are the results accurate? For example, do plaques in...2022-08-1748 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastAccepting Fat Horses - #064 The Horse’s Advocate PodcastShaming was a way for people in the past to look at those with excess body fat. However, excess body fat on people is now considered normal and accepted as a part of health and life. The same is happening with our horses. Today, most people want extra fat on their horses and consider this a sign of health. But is excess body fat healthy? Do we see excess body fat on healthy, thriving older people or horses? The excess body fat represents the body's efficiency in storing excess calorie consumption for use later when calories (food...2022-08-1049 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastHorse Microbiome, Dentistry, And More - #063 The Horse's Advocate PodcastIn this podcast, I talk about a variety of subjects. Some I have discussed in detail elsewhere, and some are new. These subjects include the microbiome of horses (and what we know in humans), prebiotics and probiotics (and what I will be taking), what happens to sugar in the diet, how body fat forms, and why excess body fat is unhealthy. I also share my adventures with floating horses and meeting equine dentists this past week. Some were inspiring, and others were frustrating. I end by briefly discussing ketones, where horses get their dietary fat...2022-07-2049 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastHorsemanship And Confidence Versus Arrogance - #062 The Horse's Advocate PodcastArrogance (dictionary.com): the offensive display of superiority or self-importance; overbearing pride. Confidence (dictionary.com): belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance. These two human traits are often confused, especially in horsemanship. In this podcast, I discuss the difference between these attitudes and their bearing on how we interact with horses. I also describe the four basic personalities of horses and how we can build a relationship with each type even when they are so different. I also discuss how we can change ourselves in a way that doesn't...2022-07-1350 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastWeight Loss In Horses - Dental Or Not? - #061 The Horse’s Advocate PodcastMany horse owners associate weight loss in horses with dental issues. The most common sign of a dental problem is "Quidding" or the formation of a "Quid." When a horse chews food, material moves in an orchestrated relation between the teeth, jaw and tongue to move food from the front of the mouth back to the swallowing mechanism of the throat. However, when this food bolus is unacceptable for swallowing, the horse will spit the soggy, half-crushed material onto the ground; horse owners call this a "quid." Will the horse lose condition (weight) because of this? I...2022-07-0657 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastDennis Brooks DVM, Horse Eyes and Veterinary Medicine - #060 The Horse's Advocate PodcastDennis Brooks is a great guy who owns a small section of woods in central Florida and, with his wife (a veterinarian), cares for three horses and a clan of small animals. So why is he my special guest today? This explanation may take some time. To start with, Dennis Brooks is a veterinarian, a Ph.D. researcher, a diplomat in the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology, a professor emeritus in ophthalmology at the University of Florida's Veterinary College, and he owns a consulting service for equine eyes. Dr. Brooks also is the recipient of t...2022-06-291h 50The Horse's Advocate PodcastWhat Are We Feeding Our Horses, And Why? - #059 The Horse's Advocate PodcastDo you know what is in your feed bad? And if you do, do you know why? Millions of grain scoops are fed to our horses every day around the world, yet when I ask horse owners what they are feeding their horses, I usually get blank looks. I grab a feed tag from any bag in the feed room and start reading the first ingredient to the 5th, 8th, or 10th, but usually, within a quick time, my point is made. Feed companies are dumping their waste products into the horse feed expecting great results in...2022-06-2235 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastA Review Of A Horse Magazine #2 - #058 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThis podcast is the second time I have picked up a popular horse magazine, reviewed the articles and added my thoughts on the ones I selected. I received some positive comments the last time I did this and decided to do this again. After all, you are reading these magazines without any balancing views. It is like watching one station's newscast and then hearing the same story on another station with a completely different take on the same information. With your horse's health at stake, it is essential to understand that if a published article is in a...2022-06-1550 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastProtein and Gastric Ulcers - #057 The Horse's Advocate PodcastEquine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome, or EGUS, is being treated in more horses today than almost any other disease and is considered by horse owners to be "routine." The advent of visualizing the stomach lining using a fiber-optic endoscope is now available to nearly every horse owner through their local veterinarian. In addition, medicines are available to treat horses suffering from this condition, and they are effective. Nutritional changes are a basis for improving horses' health. Still, few have associated a specific change in diet with concomitant use of prescribed medication to enhance the effectiveness of using the...2022-06-0844 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastHorse Dentistry Questions - #056 The Horse's Advocate PodcastMy equine veterinary practice is limited to horses' teeth and oral cavity. Almost all of this practice focuses on removing the sharp enamel points that cause discomfort within the oral cavity. I have been doing this since 1983 and full-time since 1998. This episode covers some frequently asked questions I often get asked as I meet horse owners. My answers are not based on scientific facts because there are no clear scientific facts in equine dentistry. Instead, I establish these answers on the more than 78,000 horses I have performed dentistry on. Technically this is called anecdotal evidence. I invite...2022-05-251h 02The Horse's Advocate PodcastHorses And The Web Of Influence- #055 The Horse's Advocate PodcastI am so grateful when I hear someone listen to these podcasts worldwide. But, more than that, people listen and apply what I say and find excellent results from their changes. I am so humbled. In this episode, I go through an email I received from Africa with a connection in the state of Washington here in America. Their results with laminitis are remarkable. But there is other feedback I receive, mostly positive. Unfortunately, a few can't understand what I am saying or are unable to gain improvements from the information I give. Some are downright rude!2022-05-1843 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastEntropy And Horses - #054 The Horse's Advocate PodcastEntropy describes the Second Law of Thermodynamics (one of the only three laws that forces everything on Earth to respond the way things do). Entropy means the natural and required decrease in energy, moving organized things into disorganized ones, eventually ending in complete uniform chaos with all things becoming the same. Here are the Merriam-Webster definitions: : a measure of the unavailable energy in a closed thermodynamic system that is also usually considered to be a measure of the system's disorder, that is a property of the system's state, and that varies directly with any reversible c...2022-05-1149 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastHorses And The Road Less Traveled - #053 The Horse's Advocate PodcastRobert Frost, the poet, wrote about coming across two roads in the woods. One shows much activity, while the other is pristine and unused. Which way do you choose? Suppose you know the active path, and it feels comfortable. There are known obstacles along this path, but these difficulties are trusted because they are known, and many others have taken this route. So you move forward down the used way and accept the results. What if you chose "the road less traveled?" There could be far more dangerous obstacles, or you never arrive at your destination. You...2022-04-2735 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastConflicting information For Feeding Horses - #052 The Horse’s Advocate PodcastMy last podcast (#051) was about the infodemic we are experiencing in the horse world. Infodemic describes the dilemma where there is too much conflicting information about the care of horses. In this podcast, I want to examine the infodemic in only one aspect of horses - how to feed them. As with most of my nutritional information on horses, I use the current knowledge of human nutrition. I assume that while the raw materials are different (the foods placed in the mouth), what happens at the cell level is the same. This assumption is made throughout science...2022-04-2054 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastHorse Owners Experiencing An Infodemic - #051 The Horse’s Advocate PodcastInfodemic is a blend of "information" and "epidemic" that typically refers to a rapid and far-reaching spread of both accurate and inaccurate information about something, such as a disease. As facts, rumors, and fears mix and disperse, it becomes difficult to learn essential information about an issue. - Merriam-Webster This podcast is where I vent my frustration in my attempts to help horse owners help their horses thrive in a human world. My job is to get accurate information to you that is as unbiased as possible. But in the past week, I have had several troubling...2022-04-1341 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastHorse Seminar Summaries - #050 The Horse's Advocate PodcastI attended three equine seminars, all with veterinarians discussing different matters: 1) "How Horses Think" put on by Cornell University (not the vet school) 2) "Laminitis Rounds" put on by the American Association of Equine Practitioners 3) "Fiber intake, Fermentation and Dental Condition" put on by the European Equine Health and Nutrition Congress. I also listened to a podcast from Purina called "Myth-busters." This podcast presents my summaries of these events. Frankly, I was disappointed, and I tell you why. In a world filled with misleading, agenda-driven, and siloed information, horse...2022-04-0644 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastWhy Do We Go To The Horse Barn? - #049 The Horse's Advocate PodcastHelping Horses Thrive In A Human World is what we do at The Horse's Advocate. But what about us? How do we thrive in this human world filled with tragedies and unrest? The answer is simple. We go to the barn! What is the mechanics of this desire to spend our time and money in the harsh weather elements, soiling our hands and clothes and leaving social occasions early because we hear the thunder? Do we become so wrapped up in the thought of the world that we bring all our burdens to the barn? Why? We...2022-03-2327 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastHorse Nutrition Review - #048 The Horse's Advocate PodcastEvery day someone asks me about feeding their horses. It has become simple for me to understand only because I repeat this information daily. Still, it's not so simple when heard only once or twice. I review much of what I have said in this podcast and use different approaches to help you understand. It comes down to a few things: Protein, fat and sugar are the three main ingredients that enter the mouth (we won't worry about air, water and minerals here). These ingredients are broken down into fuels and building materials in the gut...2022-03-1647 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastCavities In Horse Teeth And More - #047 The Horse's Advocate PodcastI go over some of the recent articles in the magazines and news feeds for horse owners discussing 1) cavities in the cheek teeth of horses and 2) the inhalation of tooth dust from motorized dentistry tools. I read the lay article and then the scientific journal where the information came from for the article writer. I then compare these two to see if there is any valid communication that the horse owner can take away and apply to their horses. I present everything unbiasedly, but as most of you already know, there are a lot of...2022-03-0949 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastHorse Psychology With Dr Jenny Susser - #046 The Horse's Advocate PodcastToday's guest is Dr. Jenny Susser, a sport and performance psychologist from Ocala, FL. She "successfully applies her years of experience merging mind and body wellness with performance, helping people make a lasting and positive difference in their personal and professional lives." Dr Jenny also loves horses and applies her training to horse owners and riders, helping her connect them to their horses, overcoming their blocks and helping them succeed at their desired level. This approach includes new riders to Olympic riders. One question I always have for Dr. Jenny is how does the brain...2022-03-021h 20The Horse's Advocate PodcastThe Importance Of The Top Line In Horses - #045 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThe top line of horses is the muscles along the backbone from the withers to the rump. It is where the saddle or load goes onto the horse. It is an indicator of the overall athletic condition of the horse. It is often seen as a "poor" top line when the backbone (spine) is higher than the surrounding muscle. My view of the top line is an early indicator of chronic protein self-absorption and chronic intake of high-quality dietary protein. This podcast has a visual component as I use the whiteboard feature of the iPad...2022-02-2342 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastTherapeutics In Horses - Safety And Side Effects - #044 The Horse's Advocate PodcastI report here on the safety and side effects of 4 different therapeutics used for specific purposes in horses. These four studies come from the 2021 AAEP meeting I attended virtually. Using butorphenol and detomidine in scoping TB yearlings for laryngeal function. Using Equioxx or Banamine to determine if there is subgrade colitis. CBD use in horses safety. CBD use in horses for sedation and ataxia. This podcast has some dry stuff, but I wrap each one up with what it means to horse owners, and at the end, I conclude with the problems in creating sound scientific research...2022-02-1635 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastWounds In Horses - #043 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThis podcast reviews what kind of wounds occur in the horse, their particular characteristics, and how to make them heal with the best possible outcomes. In a nutshell, there are partial skin-thickness wounds and full-thickness wounds. Partial skin-thickness wounds can be bloody and will heal without much attention needed for their excellent outcomes. Full-thickness wounds are either fresh or chronic. All can be declared infected, with the surgical incision made in a controlled environment an exception. How they heal can be divided into primary intention (suturing) and secondary intention (not sutured). The key to success is first...2022-02-091h 00The Horse's Advocate PodcastA Review Of A Horse Magazine - #042 The Horse's Advocate PodcastI am on a path of revealing how science works and why it is a well-orchestrated drama to promote an agenda. I try not to be cynical or even blind. Still, in this age of slogans such as "Follow the science," I need to define not what science is (I did this in a members-only "Rounds With Doc T") but give examples from a popular magazine. I read and then summarized each article in the Winter 2021 edition of Equus to give an alternate point of view. What I cover here also applies to videos, podcasts and social...2022-02-031h 17The Horse's Advocate PodcastDentistry Lectures At The 2021 AAEP Meeting - #041 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThe American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) held its annual meeting last month, offering a section on the current state of equine dentistry. There were eight lectures and a panel discussion. I report here what they said in each lecture and then add my commentary and interpretations on how it applies to horses from an owner's perspective. How to Perform a Thorough Oral Examination How to Obtain Diagnostic Dental Radiographs How to Recognize and Evaluate Periodontal Disease Equipment and Treatment of Periodontal Disease How to Recognize and Manage Age-Related Dental Problems in Geriatric Patients How to...2022-01-2245 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastKeeping Equine Practitioners In Horse Practices - #040 The Horse's Advocate PodcastHorse owners need more equine veterinarians if they live any distance from horses living in a dense population. The biggest reason is the cost of veterinary education and the poor return on the student's investment compared to their small animal colleagues. While you think the vet's bill for work on your horses is high, the group practices pay the new vet little. And if they are women, they are paid less than men with the same credentials. There are more reasons, including the workload and the lack of a balanced personal life. Finally, I discuss why few...2022-01-1257 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastSand Colic In Horses - #039 The Horse's Advocate PodcastA blockage in the horses' digestive tract due to sand accumulation is known as sand colic. It is common where horses graze on land with a sand base. But even if your horses live nowhere near sand, this podcast has value. The root cause of sand accumulation may occur in your horses, even in the mountains without a beach. I report on a podcast from the Equine Veterinary Journal, where they interview Dr. Ben Sykes in New Zealand. His interest as an equine surgeon in sand colic comes from years of looking at cases presented to him...2022-01-0522 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastHorses In Addition And Subtraction Of Science - #038 The Horse's Advocate PodcastHorses have been around for about 55 million years. They have been with humans for nearly 5000 years. Unfortunately, machines have replaced horses in many parts of the world in the past 70 years, and the information about raising healthy horses is lost. As a result, diseases including obesity, Insulin Resistance, Laminitis, Cushing's, Developmental Orthopedic Disease, Tooth Decay, lameness, certain types of colic, and more have started or have been on the rise for the past 40 years. We look to science to find the answers. Yet, science is either failing or is being usurped by marketing to sell agenda-driven scientific...2021-12-0854 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastHorse Feeding And Nutrition - A Book Report - #037 The Horse's Advocate PodcastI just finished half of an old book on feeding the horse written by a professor of nutrition. It is called "Horse Feeding And Nutrition" by Tony Cunha. First published in 1980, this was the second edition in 1991 - 30 years ago. What was so striking to me were these several points: I know the people referenced as the scientists, researchers and students after each chapter. The information is what I learned when I attended vet school at Cornell - exactly. The author quickly points out the lack of scientifically proven information about feeding horses and that most...2021-11-2451 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastEndocrine Disease And The Equine Athlete (meeting review) - #036 The Horse's Advocate PodcastI attended a Zoom meeting hosted by the FVMA with the presenter Dr. Jane Manfredi of Michigan State. The title of her talk was "Quick On Their Feet: Endocrine Disease And The Equine Athlete." Unfortunately, I arrived a few minutes late. Still, this presentation was on equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), PPID/Cushing's Disease in horses, insulin resistance/dysregulation and other points. I reviewed her presentation, discussing the good points, and, once again, disappointed in the lack of prominence in discussing diet; some of the information there needed updating with human investigations. She advised diagnosing early and getting...2021-11-171h 06The Horse's Advocate PodcastThree Dimension Communication With Horses (Part 2) - #035 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThis podcast is the second part of a discussion I started in episode #030. I continue that discussion of relating the brain of the horse with the human brain as the recent discovery of 4 distinct centers of the mammalian brain described by Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor in her book, "Whole Brain Living." In the past, I had described these centers based on Hippocrates (about 400 BC) as Choleric, Melancholy, Sanguine and Phlegmatic. I have described these four primary personalities in my book, "The Ten Irrefutable Laws Of Horsemanship." I now associate these personalities with the four sections of the brain...2021-11-1051 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastThe TMJ Of Horses - #034 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThe temporomandibular joints connect the jaw (mandible) to the skull. It is the most active joint in the horse's body, moving on average 25,000 times daily - or 9 million chews per year. It has evolved over the evolution of the horse to be a very sturdy yet flexible joint. Horse owners often define the TM joints as a condition rather than a joint. For example, "My horse has TMJ" describes a syndrome that may not involve the joint. Instead, the connective tissues may give rise to pain. But is this true? Could there be pain located elsewhere that...2021-11-0334 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastUnderstanding The Basics Of Colic In Horses - #033 The Horse's Advocate PodcastAs a veterinarian, I have seen many horses with colic, and as a horse owner, I have experienced colic personally. But there is one thing for sure: we need to prevent it from happening in the first place. It is why The Horse's Advocate explains the harm of inflammatory diets in other podcasts and materials. Unfortunately, however, even with the best precautions, colic can still occur from other causes. Last week I listened to a podcast from Platinum Performance which provided an overview of what colic is and what to look for if you ever have a...2021-10-2755 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastThe AAEP Discusses Laminitis In Horses - #032 The Horse's Advocate PodcastOn October 13th, 2021, The American Association Of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) had a virtual meeting of 4 professionals caring for horses suffering from laminitis. This disease is a crippling and often life-ending painful affliction of horses' hooves. I attended to update myself with new information I could pass on to the listeners of this podcast. Discussions revolved around the determinants of severity from diagnostic images. It involved high-resolution X-rays with specific measurements, venograms (images of the blood flow in the hoof), and even advanced imaging machines practitioners don't have access to (PET scans). In addition, they discussed the application...2021-10-2048 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastMolds, Mycotoxins And Soaking Horse Hay - #031 The Horse's Advocate PodcastReducing the extra body fat on our horses is the best, if not the only, way to improve and eliminate metabolic syndrome. But is there a cost to their health in the increased production of molds with mycotoxins when doing this? I attended a symposium by the European Equine Health & Nutrition Congress in the Netherlands that addresses molds and mycotoxins in forage. This meeting would be where I could get all the answers to horse owners' questions about mold development in soaked hay. However, I became confused with no evidence-based answers given. The most evident response I...2021-10-1335 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastThree Dimension Communication With Horses (part 1) - #030 The Horse's Advocate PodcastHumans now live in a world where communication is one or two-dimensional. The telephone or video meeting is a two-dimensional conversation, and texting, writing, or email is one-dimensional. These types of communications don't employ the depth of vision to notice the subtle nuances of facial expression. Wearing a mask will also eliminate seeing a slight smile or frown. There is a fourth dimension with the hormone oxytocin, delivered between people during conversation. However, this has yet to be studied in horses. I'm likely correct in saying this fourth dimension is our energy. In that case, it is...2021-10-0846 minThe Horse's Advocate Podcast75,000 Horses Floated By Hand - #029 The Horse's Advocate PodcastAfter floating 75,000 horses since 1983, Doc T discusses the valuable observations he has observed. Without funding for significant scientific studies involving a broad spectrum of horse breeds with significant participants (1000s) for extended periods (years), we only use observational studies to understand dentistry in horses. These have no randomized populations with a control group to verify the study results. I discuss a variety of issues commonly asked by horse owners and veterinarians. In addition, I am specifically evaluating myths and theories of equine dentistry used by general horse owners and professionals. This podcast addresses a...2021-09-2957 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastHow Is What You're Doing Working For Your Horses? - #028 The Horse's Advocate PodcastHorse owners want to do the best for their horses either because of the significant investment in their purchase and training/showing or because they are guilty or worried that they are missing something important in their care. But the responsibility of providing care given by agenda-based products as the sole mentors cause lost wisdom, and the horse suffers. The reaction is to continually add food and supplements, hoping that whatever might be missing is now covered. Yet holes in nutrition still occur. Worse, the veterinarians and other horse professionals seem unable (or unwilling) to help. 2021-09-2243 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastProtein In Horses - #027 The Horse's Advocate PodcastProtein is a word in nutrition that horse owners have difficulty understanding. There is a good reason for this: it is more complicated than carbohydrates (sugar) and fat. But why? Horse owners aren't stupid, and on top of this, they want to do the "best" for their horses. Protein makes up the hair coat, topline muscles, hooves, suspensory ligaments, neurotransmitters (Cushing's disease), the immune system (allergies, skin conditions, dermatitis), enzymes (digestive disorders) and hormones (hormone disorders). In addition, the DNA, RNA and all viruses are all made up of the same stuff of proteins – amino acids. ...2021-09-151h 06The Horse's Advocate PodcastHorsemanship With Horse Trainer Daniel Dauphin - #026 The Horse's Advocate PodcastDaniel Dauphin is a horseman from Lafayette, Louisiana, passionate about training horses using horsemanship skills he learned from mentors. His website and social media are listed below. We discuss various topics, including what drives us to become better horsemen (equestrians, horse handlers, trainers), how to become a leader, overcome fear, and how we connect with horses. Daniel also used engineering (math and physics) to describe how bits work and has produced a series on this subject available for you to download. This series gives a better understanding and a clear perspective on using bits. If...2021-09-081h 20The Horse's Advocate PodcastHormesis, Rapamycin and Horses - #025 The Horse's Advocate PodcastAll things in life experience an ebb and flow, much like the seasons, the loss of leaves of the oak tree, the tides or the birth and death of all living things. What is the challenge for all of us and our horses is not just having a long life but being healthy through that life. All living things go through a period of stress physically to help us remain healthy. This necessary stress triggers cell functions to clean up and repair damage. The pieces are coming together in human and lab animal studies, so I assume...2021-09-0144 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastThe Mighty Mitochondria Of Horses - #024 The Horse's Advocate PodcastWithin the cells of our horses are power stations where fuel converts into energy. Without this power station, called the mitochondria, the cell, and thus the horse, dies. In reality, the mitochondria are organisms (primitive bacteria) living within our cells in a symbiotic relationship - where each can't live without the other. How well the mitochondria work is related to the fuel that it eats. The most efficient fuel is fat, with clean and abundant energy production. Glucose (the sugar of starch or non-structural carbohydrate of pasture and hay), on the other hand, burns dirty with less...2021-08-2555 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastHouston We Have A Problem With Equine Veterinarians - #023 The Horse's Advocate PodcastHouston We Have A Problem With Equine Veterinarians - #023 The Horse's Advocate Podcast The equine veterinary profession is at a breaking point. There needs to be more incentive for developing new horse vets. The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) knows it and is assembling a task force to address this. Unfortunately, they are asking all but the people they should be asking - the horse owners themselves. Their efforts to discover the reasons are long overdue and are probably too late. I have been writing about the certainty that horse owners, especially t...2021-08-1845 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastTwo Horse Meetings - Parasites Revisited and Liver Disease - #022 The Horse's Advocate PodcastI attended two meetings recently. One was about parasites in horses and was worth revisiting for a fresh perspective. The other was about liver disease in horses. While these sound beyond the routine needs of horse owners, many of you want to bridge your knowledge between you and your veterinarian. So I break down what they say and interpret it so you can converse with your veterinarian about these two critical issues. And when you hang around horses long enough, you will know someone who has experienced diseases related to these two areas. ********** T...2021-08-1144 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastThe EquiSummit Conference On The Healthy Horse Gut - #021 The Horse's Advocate PodcastI attended a conference called the EquiSummit, produced by a major manufacturer of horse feed components and sponsored by the horse feed companies dedicated to supplying horses with feed and forage. Their representatives, along with equine nutritionists (consultants and professors) and veterinarians (industry employees and professors), discussed the following topics: A Horse Owner's Guide to Leaky Gut Syndrome Managing Stress Through Functional Nutrition Proper Forage Feeding Feeding the Senior Horse and Addressing "Inflammaging" Hindgut Health: Practical Considerations Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) vs. Equine Cushing's Disease (PPID) I analyze the content and then give my opinions. Of course...2021-08-0459 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastHow To Feed The Competing Horse - #020 The Horse's Advocate PodcastMany horses perform in physically demanding competition and need feeding differently from retired horses in the field. This logic makes sense, but is it true? This podcast looks at the requirements of equine athletes from the point of view where the basic foundations of nutrition are placed first in our thoughts, followed by what they need to survive and thrive in their sport. The idea of a grain-free life seems appealing, but is it also helpful for the working horse? I look at this idea and discuss this concept with the active horse in mind.2021-07-2845 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastThe Role Of Oils In Horses - #019 The Horse's Advocate PodcastOils and fats seem to confuse a lot of horse owners, and because of this, terminology such as "Omega 3 oils" are used a lot but without understanding what they are. As a result, horses are fed a lot of oils with good intentions for their health. But does it? This podcast reviews what fatty acids are: saturated, monounsaturated (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated (PUFAs) fatty acids (fat). It also goes over where horses get their fat out in the "wild." It is not fish or fish oils, flax or other seeds and seed oils. Once understood, horse owners will...2021-07-2150 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastThe Right To Prevent In Horses - #018 The Horse's Advocate PodcastAs horse owners, we have a right to protect and prevent injury and disease from happening to the horses under our care. However, owners are being blocked at every turn by caring people trying to improve our horses' lives. But can they do this while also being driven by an agenda? The horse owner's manual that was supposed to come with every horse has many missing pieces - or maybe the manual never came with your horses. So instead, we ask professionals what to do, including veterinarians, farriers, feed stores, and others in the industry or our...2021-07-1442 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastIs Soybean Meal OK to feed horses? - #017 The Horse's Advocate PodcastWhether soybean meal is OK to feed horses is often asked on the FB group (The Horse's Advocate) and by my dentistry clients. If all seeds cause gut inflammation (lectins, starch) in horses and the core belief of this group is to go back to feeding horses the way they ate for millions of years, how then is providing soybean meal (SBM) a good choice for horses? This podcast discusses how and why the horse's body loses the essential amino acids daily and the reasons for supplementing using SBM. It also outlines what shows on the horse w...2021-07-0744 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastVaccinations For Horses - #016 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThis podcast is different from your average discussion about what to vaccinate your horses with. That would be a discussion with your veterinarian, who knows you and what diseases are in your area. However, to prepare you for that discussion, I will talk about immunology, vaccination and disease history, and false advertising by vaccine companies. You should NOT be anti-vaccines, but be aware that they are just one tool in your tool kit protecting your horses from disease. So, in a nutshell: vaccinate for diseases that can kill your horses, but for illnesses that will only make a...2021-06-3050 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastThe Threshold Of Pain In Horses - #015 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThere is a point where the pain we are experiencing is beyond our ability to control our reaction to it. This point is our threshold, which is different for every person and horse alive. Discovering if your horse is a wimp or a tough guy will help in how you work with them or if you need to medicate for something another horse tolerates. But pain can be more than physical. There is also mental pain from the past with a unique threshold, which needs addressing as we work with our horses. So it is a...2021-06-2338 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastThe Personalities Of Horses - #014 The Horse's Advocate PodcastHorses are like humans in expressing themselves as blends of four basic personalities. When working with horses, we must understand that we cannot change them just like we cannot change another human. The only one we can change is ourselves. Once we understand the personality of the horse we are working with, we can change our expression to match that of the horse we are working on. By keeping our energy lower than the horse, then leading with our lower level of energy matched to the horse's personality, you will magically bring results you thought impossible without...2021-06-1634 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastSleep In Horses - #013 The Horse's Advocate PodcastEvery animal on the planet does sleep, including insects, birds, fish, aquatic mammals, you, me and our horses. Humans spend a third of their lives sleeping; in that time, we repair and strengthen our health systems. So do our horses, but little is known. There seems to be an increase in "narcolepsy" in horses, which isn't the proper use in horses of this human disease. So now it is known as a "Sleep Disorder" in Horses (or something like that). But this podcast doesn't spend much time on this one problem that has been escalating over the...2021-06-0932 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastFight Or Flight In Horses - #012 The Horse's Advocate PodcastDoc T discusses the portions of the brain responsible for the horses identifying danger, analyzing the threat, and then responding to the go/no go for launching into a fight or running from the area. Understanding the separate locations within the brain and the connections between them helps identify where you, the horse owner or trainer, need to interject yourself to defuse a dangerous situation. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website to learn about horses, horse barns and farms. There is a membership side of the website where horse owners can attend live meetings...2021-06-0224 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastDrug Classifications In Horse Medications - #011 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThere are three fundamental classes of medications in horses that I want to describe today to help horse owners understand what they are and why there is a price difference. Legend drugs are original products protected by patents and sold under a famous marketed name. The FDA approves these to meet strict standards. Generic drugs are almost exact copies of legend drugs without a fancy and well-known name. The FDA also approves these to meet strict standards. Compounded drugs are mixes of similar ingredients but not the same as the legend drugs. The...2021-05-2627 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastFun With Physics And Horses - #010 The Horse's Advocate PodcastPhysics is a collection of laws that control how things work in our universe. They have no allegiance to a country, religion or even if you are a plant, animal or mineral. Instead, physics is the rule book by which we all play. How the laws of physics apply to our horses had intrigued me since about 1978 when I noticed that scientists were looking at how these laws made our horses lame. It hooked me. Long toe and low heels are a combination of physics that does harm to tendons and hooves. My favorite law...2021-05-1927 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastThe Parachute Study And Understanding Horse Science - #009 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThe Parachute Study was a parody published in a top medical journal to bring attention to the fact that there are few research papers published that we can believe. Couple this with the fact that retractions in medical journals are at an all-time high; humans and horse owners don't know anything but what they know based on their life. Who do we believe? Where do we go to get information? It boils down to two things: 1) listen to your gut to determine if what you are listening to is reasonable, and 2) do what works for you and...2021-05-1220 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastEquine Endocrinology - #008 The Horse's Advocate PodcastEquine endocrinology is a deep and complicated subject. In this podcast, Geoff Tucker, DVM (Doc T), reports on a webinar he attended for continuing education credit presented by a pharmaceutical company. Dr. Tucker addresses their perspectives as compared to what he sees as a slightly different opinion. This presentation reviews PPID (Pituitary Pars Intermediate Dysfunction or Cushing's disease) and insulin resistance. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website to learn about horses, horse barns and farms. There is a membership side of the website where horse owners can attend live meetings to ask questions and...2021-05-0537 min
The Horse's Advocate PodcastEquine Asthma - #007 The Horse's Advocate PodcastEquine asthma is similar to human asthma based on several factors associated with this lung disorder in horses. It has had several names, including heaves, COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and others. In the past, veterinarians blame allergens for triggering the airways of horses to constrict, making it almost impossible to exhale. As a result, horses can no longer breathe effectively. This restriction to exhale air limits the horse's ability to function in any sport or effort. It can, in the worst of situations, cause their death. But could there be another cause? For example, could this...2021-04-2831 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastThe Calcium To Phosphorus Ratio In Horse Feed - #006 The Horse's Advocate PodcastCalcium (Ca) and Phosphorus (P) are two of the most plentiful minerals in your horse, required for bone structure, muscle function and hundreds of other metabolic processes. However, they compete for uptake in the digestive tract. When there is more phosphorus than calcium in the diet, calcium prevents phosphorus from being absorbed. Hence, the body extracts calcium from the bones to maintain its precise and critical level in the blood. Unfortunately, all grains are high in phosphorus and, when fed over time, cause calcium deficiencies. Feed manufacturers add calcium and phosphorus in a ratio. This...2021-04-2135 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastShould Your Horse Be Turned Out On The Spring Green Grass? - #005 The Horse's Advocate PodcastEvery horse owner fears the green grass of spring if they have ever had a case of laminitis. In this episode, I review an article written in a magazine for horse owners and analyze the information they give about this subject. I can't entirely agree with most of it. But, I counter with my views and experiences. I focus on glucose from starch, what happens to glucose in the body, and the damage it does. After hearing this podcast, you will have another point of view that will help you with this challenging period of caring for horses...2021-04-1257 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastThe Frequency Of Floating Horse Teeth - #004 The Horse's Advocate Podcast The frequency of floating a horse is variable and is related to the individual horse. We often think of prevention on a mechanical device, like how often you change the oil in a car's engine. A horse is a living being and not a machine. The threshold of pain determines how frequently you need to float. In other words, how they perceive the sharp points against their cheeks and tongue. The hardness of the enamel and the number of chews in a day/month/year also determine how fast they become sharp. Be...2021-03-2311 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastCushing's Disease in Horses - #003 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThe pituitary is a small gland at the bottom of the brain that regulates many hormones in the horse. Without it, the body of every mammal (horse and human) would become unbalanced and eventually destroy itself. And it is only the size of a pea! The pituitary disease in horses is called PPID or Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction. But I can't entirely agree that the pituitary is "dysfunctioning." Instead, it is functioning perfectly - but a neurodegenerative disease overworks the gland, causing several diseases in horses, most notably Cushing's Disease but also diabetes insipidus and a non-shedding hair coat. ...2021-03-1609 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastCarbohydrate Dependency in Horses - #002 The Horse's Advocate PodcastWhat is carbohydrate (sugar) dependency in horses, and how does it lead to chronic protein deficiency and insulin resistance? Every horse owner should try to understand this fundamental question to 1) feed horses correctly and 2) prevent most diseases in horses. Welcome, to episode number 2! This series is now officially live, and new content will be coming regularly, be sure to subscribe! Also, check out the new look of The Horses Advocate at www.thehorsesadvocate.com for more podcasts, articles, and so much more from Doc T. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website to learn about...2021-02-1110 minThe Horse's Advocate PodcastMedications in Equine Dentistry - #001 The Horse's Advocate PodcastThe topic of using medications in equine dentistry is essential to understand and, more importantly, why they are often not used properly. Welcome to Horse Talk with Doc T (Geoff Tucker, DVM). His tech team is just getting things set up. You are welcome to enjoy the content, but please be patient with us while we get things polished up. They may take this particular podcast may down and re-uploaded it as things finalize. ********** TheHorsesAdvocate.com is a website to learn about horses, horse barns and farms. There is a membership side of...2020-02-1304 min